If I were to say the names Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, most people wouldn’t have any idea who I was referring to. Even if I told them they were biblical characters, I’d likely still get blank stares. But if I said Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, many more people would exactly know who I was talking about.
Daniel 1:7
And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
What a difference a name makes, right? Yet, while Daniel is almost never referred to as Belteshazzar, the other three are primarily remembered by their Babylonian names. This has always struck me as odd—why would Daniel retain his Hebrew name while his companions go down in history by their captive names?
It is widely debated who actually wrote the book of Daniel and when, but what’s clear is that Daniel lived through the entire Babylonian captivity and retained his Hebrew identity. He never forgot who he was. While he may have answered to his Babylonian name, it didn’t change his true identity. He was always Daniel. Why? His identity was rooted in his relationship with God. It didn’t matter what other people called him or how they tried to define him. The only thing that mattered was what God said.
No matter what the world calls you, or what labels are thrown at you, remember that your identity is found in what God says about you, and that never changes. You were planned before the foundations of the earth were lain. You are not an accident. You are not a mistake. The God whose power created the natural and supernatural took the effort to carefully design you on purpose with a purpose. Your life has meaning and value. Leave the labels behind, especially the ones you would use on yourself, and seek His face so that you truly know who He says you are.
Walking With Christ 
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